by Miriam Hara | Oct 18, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Creative
Listen up Marketing Vice-Presidents, Professionals, Brand Managers, Ambassadors and Gurus… I know only too well that it’s hard to separate yourself from the Brand you’re responsible for. After all, you work it, live it, breath it – 24/7. You understand it intimately, better than anyone else. You define its market and potential, watch its competitors (with disdain!), develop the strategy that will give it wings, provide its raison d’être (USP). Then – fight for the budget by promising the powers that be that just around the corner, there’s profit to be had (ROI)… if only they would believe, like you believe.
When you’ve done all all that and successfully received the sought after funds, you need to entrust it to an “outsider” (yes, an advertising agency!) to communicate to the world what you know is this Brand’s promise and truth… The “how” and the “why” of it.
So off goes the agency’s team, armed with your Communications Brief, Brand Guidelines, Brand’s positioning statement, market assessment and competitor’s information. They come back with creative that responds to brief, the market conditions and provides a good solid plan on how to obtain the objective that is required for that ever elusive ROI.
That’s when it begins, the shift from professional objectivity to personal judgement. That’s when business and marketing professionals change hats and become emotional human beings. The tweaks, the design directives, the micro management of font selection, type treatment, the scrutiny, the judgement calls, all about the creative. I am not suggesting for one minute that all agency work is on target, on point or on brief. Although, I am not quite sure how it can’t be if the brief provided was correct. The development and creation of Marketing Creative and ideation is very rational. Rationality doesn’t take away from creativity. Quite the contrary, it adds to it. Marketing creative is about thinking inside the box… the box that was created by the Brand Keeper.
Assessing Brand Creative properly is as important as writing a solid Marketing Plan. It’s important to learn how to assess creative effectively and efficiently. Here are 9 questions to ask yourself when assessing Brand Creative.
- Are you walking in your targets’ shoes? Remember, you aren’t the target market, even if you fit the demographic profile. You are a Marketer, and more specifically the Marketer of this product!
- Is the product benefit easily communicated? Is the communication efficient. Does the creative speak succinctly and effortlessly about the end benefit.
- Does the creative deliver? Does it offer consumers the reasons to believe so that they can take the next step in the customer journey.
- Does the creative adhere to Brand Guidelines? A good brand agency lives by guidelines. Any agency that doesn’t isn’t a brand agency.
- Is the creative in line with the Brand Persona and the Brand Voice? This is the most subtle and intuitive part of any creative. Refer back to your communications brief for guidance.
- Is the creative original and Brand Unique? Does it provide a strong identification with the Brand… and only this Brand.
- Is it provocative? No, I don’t mean showing bare skin, I mean does it resonate and engage the audience? It must provide traction to gain brand awareness.
- Is it respectful to the Brand and its audience? Does it speak to consumers and not at them, does it value the consumer’s time and mind?
- Does it work as a unit? It’s very easy to zero in on a word, colour, or small detail. The more you focus on it, the bigger it becomes and the more you feel compelled to fix it. But don’t try to fix it yourself. Articulate what is bothering you and let the agency resolve the issue. Creative is a process, so there is always room for improvement. Make that improvement effortless by communicating the issue, rather than trying to provide the solution.
I recognize that it’s not easy to let go. Often the creative of marketing is the “fun part”. Good agencies make it appear easy, but it’s not. In closing I will only say and I know it’s hard to hear but it doesn’t matter that you, the Brand Keeper, like purple or green, or that you prefer a serif type face or the use of a particular word. In short, it’s not about you. It’s about the Brand that you have been entrusted with. and have in turn, entrusted to brand agency to ensure its healthy growth by developing a strong brand awareness and position within the market.
by Saara Jafari | Oct 17, 2012 | Business Success
The catchiest of phrases… and we all know it… “Which would you rather be… do you want to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond?”
I can’t help it. Whenever I hear this phrase, the image that pops up in my head is of a big fish getting really bored and stifled in a small pond or a little cute goldfish in a big pond being eaten by the bigger fish.
But why do I need to be either? Why can’t I just be an illustrious ant or a honey bee collecting my food and preparing for the future? The point is why must I be restrained by these preconceived notions when making my career choices? Does size really matter?
Having the unique perspective gained from working international in both small and large organizations, I have first hand experience of working in a one-man, family run business and a full blown Corporate Head Office. We’ve all heard it. The myths and the conventional wisdom of working for small or large businesses from “you will learn a lot in a small company” to “big corporations provide better career growth opportunities”… and everything and anything in between.
Personally, there’s no right or wrong. It ultimately is a matter of what suits you and what is conducive to your personality and experience level. Having worked with differently sized and structured companies, one thing is clear… work satisfaction depends on the leader’s management style. Big or small, that’s all that really matters. Some managers like to groom you or give you the freedom to bring in your unique style of work while others like to micro-manage or to delegate their decision making, and yet again, some like to spend time on training new people while others don’t.
In big companies, the hierarchical structure provides an immediate supervisor who is there to provide training and supervision using existing company training resources. Job roles are also more specialized enabling the person to get a good grasp over his/her specific domain. On the other hand, in a small but fast paced company, it is difficult for a new person with no experience to survive if no training is being provided. Depending on your character and personality traits, at the beginning of your career, this could be devastating for your self esteem.
Since big corporations have larger teams and more resources, they have the money to spend on training and development of their employees. Annual appraisals and promotions also provide a sense of accomplishment to employees motivating them to perform better and grow further. It is also easier to have a work life balance since there are systems in place to provide employees with a balanced workload and working hours. Sounds great? Again, depending on your chosen career path and your ultimate objective, as well as your personality, being in a silo environment may stifle your long term career plan.
In small companies, due to a constraint of resources and funds learning is gained on-the-job – one person usually ends up wearing many hats having a wider scope of learning… however, dedication towards the job is often mandatory which means hours… compromising on valuable family time or outside work interest or self development projects.
Where you should work depends largely, on what you want to learn, how passionate a drive you have and where you want to go. So there is no simple answer to whether you want to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond. Either way, big fish… small fish, you will belong in a school that collectively moves in the same direction, working together to reach a common objective.
So what’s it going to be… Big or Small?
by Lindsay Sleightholm | Oct 16, 2012 | Business Success, Creative
What is original?
In terms of creativity and ideation, “original” can be described as something new. But being original really requires more than just being new. It also implies standing apart as unique. It’s the combination of new and unique that takes us from ordinary to original.
Why be original?
Society likes originality – and for good reason. It inspires and enriches our lives. We want to see and experience original thoughts, ideas and visuals. We like to be provoked, entertained or questioned in different and interesting ways.
Let’s look at Halloween for an example. This yearly tradition is when some of the youngest members of our society play make believe. They dress up for the rest of us. They plan out a costume based on the person (or creature) they want to become for one special evening. The results of their unique ideas are wacky, wonderful and often original creations.
Why don’t we see more originality?
Today, originality is hard to come by. Speed and efficiency have rivalled its importance. There have never been so many easy solutions for everyday problems than there are now. We have more resources available than ever before – at our fingertips and within seconds. Most simply don’t have the time or patience to produce original, creative ideas.
So what’s missing?
Thinkers – those that have original thoughts and pursue them. Great thinkers either have the time or make the time to explore their unique ideas. But originality isn’t just another item on their to-do list. Original thinkers not only make a commitment towards their ideas, but follow them through with fervor and conviction. As a result, they bring us originality. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates come to mind as a couple of well known great thinkers.
Going back to our trick-or-treaters, I don’t think many kids say, “I don’t have time to think about a Halloween costume this year. I’m just going to go as whatever is easiest.” Instead, these young thinkers plan far in advance. They develop a clear visual of what they want and how it will look. By the time the big night rolls around, everything is in place.
Be original.
Everyone is different. And everyone has a unique view of themselves and the world around them. If we each took that view and used it to generate original ideas, we’d have millions of different solutions to any given problem. But, we don’t. Generally, there are a limited number of individuals providing novel ideas. The rest just follow along with what someone else has already created or discovered, and build upon that success.
It has been said that “it’s all been done before.” But how true is that? Are there really no original ideas left to be had? As difficult as originality is to achieve today, so too is its importance towards creative success. We can’t “reinvent the wheel”, but by saying that, we hinder our own unique thoughts.
What’s your approach to being original?
You don’t have to be a kid or a recluse to have original ideas. Originality can be explored as a process of thinking, planning and doing. The ideal result is something both new and unique. Whatever your approach, make sure it makes sense to you. After all, you’re an original.
Let’s continue the conversation. What are your thoughts on being original?
by Miriam Hara | Oct 9, 2012 | Advertising, Business Success, Creative, Design
Sparking creativity or what is most commonly referred to as brainstorming, when you’re alone is far more difficult than when you’re within a group. The onus is all on you. You can’t pass the reins to anyone else and passively listen. Nor can you follow or jump on someone else’s thought train (as I often call it) to move an idea forward.
I equate ‘Lone Brainstorming’ to Meditating. You need to find your happy place, a place that will set you up to make it easy for you to meditate. In my case, my happy place is my personalized HUGE Black sketchbook which one of my colleagues (thanks Gloria!) gave me as a Birthday Present.
When I open this book, it’s my mind’s cue that I need to be calm and patient with myself so I can start the idea concept generation (ideation). There are many brainstorming techniques out there. There is no right way or wrong way of brainstorming, but it’s important to find techniques that work for you.
Prior to sitting down to meet a creative challenge, as a brainstorming strategy it is necessary to get all the information required to provide a solution. This means reading briefs or provided Powerpoint presentations, if available, doing store checks, understanding the space in which the brand lives (investigating the industry) via the internet or whatever other means, checking out the competition and researching the target market (niche, psychographics, demographics). Armed with all the background, you’ll be on firmer ground when you start.
In the 24 years of being a Creative Instigator (!), I have found the following steps have enabled me to streamline my conceptual thinking and provide me with a loose structure that allows me to… well, think freely!
Be specific. It’s key to set the parameters before you start. This allows you to focus and ready your mind to work efficiently, providing you with a sifting mechanism for the ideas you will generate. Just like doing the prep work, it’s really important to define the mandate to stay close to the marketing or creative challenge.
See the big picture. Don’t get caught up on the details. That often stifles creativity and you start getting so wrapped up in the minutia. Don’t worry about the details, if an idea has validity then the details will often take care of themselves with a tweak here and there.
Make a time commitment. If you give your brain a challenge, you need to stay with it. The key here is remaining focused for 90 minutes, a solution often appears!
Take strategic detours. I can’t emphasize enough the value of allowing your mind to wander strategically! It’s an art that takes time to develop but the importance of having creative freedom in generating creative solutions within specifics can’t be touted enough. This is what makes any brainstorming session efficient. When flying solo it’s important to:
- Follow the connections: This is conceptualizing at its finest. Make mind maps, word maps or doodle maps… whatever is most comfortable for you. And follow them where they lead. It replaces the team of creative minds that you don’t have sitting around the table with you.
- Dare to fail: Go onto a path that may or may not lead to a dead end. It’s not important at this juncture to have a particular destination. It’s about taking the journey to discover what’s around the corner. Often the sidetrack will lead you to a better place!
Take five or a lay-over: And don’t think about it. You need time to digest. Occupy your mind with something else, like creating a meal, taking a walk, going to a museum or even reading. It’s not an old wives’ tale when they say “sleep on it”. The creative mind is exceptional! I have often found the next day leads me to a better solution than I had thought.
Don’t sell yourself short. It’s easy, especially for creative types when left on their own to often doubt that they can find the solution. Without a creative team around you providing you with a comfort zone and a way out, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. So don’t! Rid yourself of all these comprising thoughts, and just set yourself to the task at hand… awesome conceptual solutions for your clients… it works every time!
by Miriam Hara | Oct 5, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Design
Packaging design is not merely an essential part of branding in the world of retail products – it is the most important part of branding. Not only is it the first impression and provides the sales proposition but it must also close the deal… ultimately making the sale at the store level. Much like brand logos – in this fast paced world – it’s easy to change for the sake of change. With technology and design software making everything accessible, it has become effortless to “try this”, “change this” or “modify this”. Designs are not given the time they need to “cure” and become part of consumers’ landscape. Technology is great and it’s a fantastic tool. It has provided designers with the creative freedom to deliver on design flexibility and offer the marketing and creative industry astounding possibilities… in record time. But like everything else in life, there’s an upside and then there’s a downside to it. In this case, technology and software has given us speed and flexibility at the expense of timely conscious strategic thinking.
How does one know when the time has come to change a brand’s packaging design?
Are there particular signs to watch for? Or better yet, are there specific questions that need to be asked and answered? Here’s my list:
How long has it been since the last packaging redesign? If it has been 15 years or more, chances are the packaging should be redesigned. Consumers change within decades, and with this change come new trends and new styles. All packaging designs have a style, and eventually even the most contemporary packaging design starts to be viewed as stale or passé – more importantly, it no longer resonates with consumers. When all is said and done, the packaging needs to speak to the consumers in the way they want to be spoken to. A good way to assess packaging design fatigue is to commission packaging research.
Is the current packaging poorly designed? Does it reflect the product promise? Does it communicate what it is effectively? Or does it ask consumers to read and decipher what it’s all about? Was the current design professionally done by packaging designers? Does it stand up to the brand’s image? At the risk of sounding repetitive, the best way to determine this is through packaging research.
What’s the product sales turns? Is the product purchased weekly? Monthly? Once every 8 months? Annually? This is key for determining how many times products should engage in redesigning their packaging. For products that are purchased semi-annually or annually, redesigning packaging every year or even 2 years may lead to consumer confusion and frustration when they can’t easily find it on the shelf.
How competitive is the category? Are competitive brands constantly updating themselves with new ways of presenting their claims or providing appetite appeal? Are new brands showing up on shelf with nothing more to offer but a sexy or new package? This is often found in the soup category, where consumption patterns are high. A good source of information and insight of many retail categories and their competitive information is Nielsen.
Does the consumer base need to change? In this context, I am referring to the demographics and psychographics of the product’s consumers. Is a wider net required to captivate new consumers? Is the existing consumer franchise leaving the market … negatively impacting sales, and thus profitability.
Has the product been innovated? Is there something new to say? Has a new and improved version of the existing product been developed that will set it apart from the competition? Can it deliver “better” or “more”? If so, it is imperative to communicate that on the package, visually and boldly.
It has often been my experience that marketers, brand managers, product managers, marketing directors, marketing managers, to name a few, often tire of their package … way before the consumer does! So before you call on your advertising agency to come up with the next best design since the invention of sliced bread, take a deep breath and… well breathe… and think strategically.
